15 Dog Behaviors Every Owner Recognizes

Eccentricities are what make people special. They make your pup special, too. We can sit and watch our dog for hours as she snaps her jaws at the stream of water erupting from the sprinkler head. Dogs are so easily entertained, right? But hey, so are we. We’re literally spending hours watching our dogs chase their tails and run in their sleep. Why do we do it? Because it’s so gosh darn cute!

Here are 15 doggie behaviors that make us tilt our heads and laugh.

1. Playing hard to get. During a game of fetch, your pup will bring the ball back to you, but playfully turn his head away so the ball is just out of reach of your open palm.

2. Confused by bodily functions. When your dog poots, she looks back at her bum, seemingly shocked that she broke wind. Every time she passes gas, she examines her back end without fail.

3. Reminding you what time it is. Your pup comes up to you of his own volition and wants to cuddle. He extends his paw and looks you deeply in the eyes, like he’s peering into your soul. It’s just dinner time, and he’s ready to chow down.

4. Administering a Class A guilt trip. You’ve been scratching your dog’s head and massaging her ears when you’re ready to stop. When you stop, she looks up at you and nudges your hand with her muzzle until you start petting her again. It’s a vicious cycle.

5. Posing for the Holiday card. Your dog does not respond well to wearing a sweater, and wrestling him into one ever year is a big pain. This year you opted for a holiday-themed designer dog collar. You swear, he’s actually grinning in the family photo.

6. Furniture restrictions. Your dog is not allowed up on the furniture, and he knows this. Somehow, it doesn’t count if only his upper body is on the couch. As long as two legs are on the floor, he believes he’s not breaking any rules.

7. Refuses to lie down. You bought your pup a brand new supportive doggie bed, but she refuses to go anywhere near it. For her, laying on the rug at your feet is comfort enough.

8. Likes to sit and perch…on your feet. For whatever reason, your pup will plant himself down on the tops of your feet and stay there until you tell him to go, but even then, it’s a struggle.

9. Eats in secrecy. When you present your pooch with a bully stick for being such a “good boy,” they take it and wander into another room to chew it in peace. If you follow them into the room, they will pick it up and leave. What gives?

10. Their version of the truffle shuffle. When they greet you at the door their entire body seems to shake with happiness. Even if you’ve only been gone for half an hour, for them it’s been a year. They have such a cute little booty shake!

11. Tackling mini humans. You know you shouldn’t laugh, but you can’t help it when in her excitement your dog tramples a toddler; she’s only trying to say hello!

12. Barks at closed doors. If you need to relieve yourself, you can’t do it in peace. Your pup will bark, as if pleading with you, to let him in the room. If his paws are small enough, he’ll even try wedging them under the door!

13. Scurries under blankets. Short-haired doggos have a tougher time keeping warm in the winter. When you lay a blanket on the floor they turn into a mole, burrowing into the fold and not coming back out until it’s feeding time.

14. Selective hearing. When it’s time to come inside, your dog seems to suddenly go deaf, but say the word ‘WALK,’ and they’re all ears.

15. Follows commands. Maybe one of the cutest things your four-legged buddy can do is follow a command perfectly the first time! He’s so smart!

Our dogs know what’s up. They live their lives for every day. There’s something to be learned from that.